Big Bend 4, Lost Mine Trail

 A beautiful sunny day for a hike on the Lost Mine Trail in the Chisos Basin.  That’s in the middle of the high mountain area in the heart of the park.  About 4.8 mile round trip and a 1000’ rise to 6800’.  There must still be a lost mine up there, nobody seems to know where it is.  It does have some spectacular views!  Down into the basin and out the north and south into huge valleys surrounded by the mountains.  As you’ll see below!  We were very lucky to find the last parking spot at the trailhead.  There were a lot of people on the trail but it didn’t seem crowded.  We talked with a couple from Salt Lake City who have traveled through VT.  They bought some maple syrup from a monastery at the top of one of southern VT’s tallest mountains.  Danged if I know where that could be!

Back to camp for Skye’s walk.

This was our night to eat out.  Tivo’s Place is a half mile away, owned by a local Mexican family who lives on site.  We ate there last year and planned to return as we left the place.  We ordered different things and they were all excellent.  Delicioso!  I had Picadillo, diced beef with jalapeño, onion and tomato.  Carlene had a Mexican Plate with a taco, Chile relleno and enchilada.  The enchilada was a bit picante for her tastes but I enjoyed it!

It’s Skye day tomorrow, we’ll drive out behind camp to a back gate into the park where there are some pictographs.  Since there aren’t any park people out there she’ll come along and be off leash much of the time too.  Not many people go out there.  It’s not advertised in park brochures.

This morning at camp

This rig is parked across the road from us.  It’s a heavily modified F550, set up for back country.  Custom built camper on the bed.  This couple has been full time in this rig for a year!  They run around making video for their website jimvaltravels.com

Mexican Jay

These two ravens had been cruising the sky over us at the top of the trail

Skye has picked up this same stick every day.  She carries it for a while and drops it.  Then picks it up again the next day.

Tivo’s  Place

Big Bend 3, Santa Elena Canyon

 Previously I mentioned Santa Elena Canyon and today we went down there to hike around.  There is a short trail going into the canyon. It can’t be any longer because the dry land disappears where the 1500’ vertical walls meet the water.  

There were quite a few people there, of course it’s Sunday.  When we entered the park this morning there were eight cars in line at the gate.  

It’s a canyon formed by the Rio Grande and so it is also the border with Mexico, the middle of the river being the border.  It is pretty amazing to see how deep it is and that the river could have worn down such a trench.But it is running water, and it’s also carrying sand.

We briefly met several people along the trail.  They seemed to be from all over.  A lot of Texas plates in the car lot, many Hispanic and many Asian.  I heard Spanish and some French too.  Lots of young kids testing the huge echo in the canyon.  Several very young kids in backpack carriers.  And of course a lot of retirees.  And some canoes and kayaks.

Back at camp we had the usual dog walk.

Big Bend 2

 This was an entertaining day of sorts.  Lots of +/_.

Early laundry day, they are only open Wed-Sun.  So had to git er done.  No big deal.

I went to get fuel after dropping Carlene off at the laundromat.  No diesel!  They ran out last night.  Waiting for someone to bring some more.  No other diesel source in Terlingua.  Lajitas is the next village to the west, about 15 miles, but they say it is very expensive.  It’s $4.44/gal here!  Or Panther Jct in the park, about 25 miles east.  Fine, we were going into the park anyway.  We get to that station and find the price is only $3.55!  And talking to the other people getting gas I find out that this place way inside a national park is always cheaper and that Terlingua is often  running out of fuel!  We have not experienced  that in our previous 6 stays here.  

OK, so we are now 13 miles beyond the turn to what we wanted to do today, the Santa Elena Canyon.  No problem, there is a nice hike around Lone Mountain just a mile away, so that’s what we’ll do today.  The other idea can wait for another day.  We have hiked around Lone Mountain before and enjoyed it.  Not crowded at all.  We seemed to be the only people going counterclockwise around it.  Fine too.  We only met about 5 people on the trail.  BUT, right after Carlene spoke of never seeing wildlife I spotted 6 Mule Deer!  2 antlered bucks, 3 doe and a youngster.  They made a casual course around us and hung out for a while.  We didn’t get great photos but not too bad.  There are better shots in the regular camera but it takes a bit to download those.  You might get to see them later.

About the park; Big Bend was founded in 1944, the first National Park in Texas   It is over 800,000 acres, more than twice the size of Chittenden County   It runs along the Rio Grande for 118 miles   Where the Rio Grande runs through the Santa Elena Canyon the walls are 1500’ tall   

Then back to camp to take Skye out for her walk.  I checked this time, it’s almost 1.4 miles.